further particulars, relating to the, nefs; for in every part of the late revival of religion in this town. About four or five months after the attention began, two lads or young men, who lived near each other, having finished their daily labor in the field, met in a school-house near by, and fpent the evening in religious converfation. They had not spent more than two evenings in this manner, before their being together and the defign thereof, was known to fome in the neighborhood, who, the next time they met, joined their company. About this time, I heard of their meeting, although it was not generally known. A doubt, at once, arofe with refpect to the propriety of encouraging fo young a clafs, of the different fexes, meeting by themfelves, for religious purposes; without fome one of more age and experience, to fuperintend their meetings, and preferve regularity among them, as alfo to inftruct them, in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and their own falvation. At their next meeting, I went among them, and found nearly forty males and females, from about eight to about eighteen years of convened age, for the purpose of praying together, reading, finging pfalmis, and talking upon religious fubjects. Being now defired by them I met with them, weekly, for feveral months. The fecond time I met with them, there were about double the number there were the first time; and the third time, I judged about one hundred and forty. Although it was now the bufieft feafon of the year with farmers, being about harveft-time, and the evenings fhort, young men and women and children, came from a distance of feveral miles; and much the greater part appeared to have their minds impreffed with feriouf houfe, tears were feen, and fighs and fobs heard; altho' endeavors were used to fupprefs the one, and to conceal the other. Thefe meetings of the young people and children, were kept up for feveral months, and until more elderly people, who wifhed to participate with them in their devotional exercifes, came in among them, and fo rendered them common for thofe of every age; but it is hoped, the religious impreffions made at this time, upon the young and tender minds of a number, will never be wholly effaced, but remain through time and be like a well of water, fpringing up into everlasting life. I shall now take notice of fome expreffions, or forms of speech, made ufe of by individuals, during the time of the awakening. Thefe expreffions and forms of fpeech, fo far as they indicate the exercifes of the heart, will fhow what the views and feelings of fome were; and perhaps, afford a fpecimen of the whole; for it is not doubted, but fimilar views and feelings were common to many, if not to most of thofe among us, who have been the fubjects of an uncommon operation of the fpirit. When one was afked, "Do you hope you have acquainted yourfelf with God, and are now at peace with him? Or fhould you leave this world in your prefent state, what would your end be?" The anfwer was, "I do not know what my fate is, nor what will become of me: I am in the hands of God, who hath a right to and will do with me as he pleafeth; and I know he will do right." Queflion, "Do you think yourself a finner, and that you deferve to be forever feparated from God, and to be made ever laftingly miferable?". tobemade Anfwer, "Yes, I know I am a * finner and deserve eternal death and if God fhould caft me off deceived, and what reafon have you to believe your prefent hope is not that of the hypocrite, forever, and make me everlasting-which will fail you when God fhall ly miferable, I never fhould have : take away the foul?" Anfwer, "I have views and feelings now, which I never had before. I never had fuch views of God and • Chrift and holiness, as I now have I never wished to enjoy • God and Chrift as I now do." Question, "Are you fo confident of your good estate, as that you are not afraid to die?" Anfever, "Sometimes I am, and fometimes I am not, and fometimes I feel as if I wished I was dead." Question, "Do you ever feel a 'willingness to leave your relations and companions and friends, and any just caufe to complain." Question, "Do you feel reconciled to the will of God: is it the joy of your heart that the Lord reigneth; and can you truft yourself in his hands, and leave it with him to do with you as he pleafeth?" Anfwer, "It feems to me I can. I know he does and will do right." Question, "Do you think you love God for what ⚫ he is in himself?" Answer, "I hope I do." Question," If God fhould reject and caft you off forever, do you think you fhould ftill love him?" Anfwer, fhould have the fame reafon to love him for what he is in him-grave ?" Anfwer, felf, as I fhould if he fhould make me happy, and it feems to me I fhould love him then as much as I now do." Question, "Do you feel willing to be eternally feparated from God, and banish⚫ed his prefence forever?" Anfwer, "No, I do not; but if I fhould be, God would ftill be, a juft and good being, for I deferve his wrath forever." “ I now in the days of your youth lie down in the cold and filent grave?" Anfauer, "Yes fometimes I do." Question, "But why do you not feel fo at all times?" Anfwer, "Sometimes I am afraid I do not love Christ in fincerity, and then I am afraid to die; but at other times, I have 'fuch views of Chrift, and he appears fo glorious and lovely, that I have a defire to be gone, that I might be with him, and 'love him more and ferve him better, than I do, or can while I live in this world.” To another, who expreffed a defire to profefs Chrift and commune at his table, it was faid, "Do you think yourself worthy to come to the table of the Lord?" The anfwer was, "No, I know To another it was faid, "When I asked you a few months ago, what you thought would become of you, if you was then to die, you told me you hoped it would be well with you; but you did not, at that time, give the reafon of your hope; what do you think of yourself now?" Anfaver," II am not; but the dogs eat of the think, fir, if I had died when you fpoke to me before, I should have been in mifery now; for I wish to be permitted to do. I then deceived myself; but I hope think it my duty to confefs Chrift I am not deceived now, and think, before men; and as unworthy as if I fhould leave the world at this I am, I have a defire to commune time, Ifhould go to rest." Quef- ' with him at his table." Question, tion," But you fay you have been "Do you feel a love for holiness, 6 crumbs which fall from their maf'ters table, and this, fir, is what I ous and good fermon, and appear ed to feel the importance of what 'he faid; but many of the hearers, cfpecially of the young people, 'were very inattentive, and fome of 'them very rude. O, how did I wish fome word fpoken by the preacher, might reach their confciences, and 'fome arrow prick their hearts, 'check their levity, and make them •ferious! To fee a minifter, fpend a hungering and thirsting after righteoufnefs, a relifh for and delight in the duties of religion?" Anfwer, "Yes, above any thing in the world. I ufed to think I took pleafure in being in young 'company, in attending balls and ⚫ other amufements; but I now ⚫ find more fatisfaction in reading the bible, converfing upon religion, ⚫ and attending religious duties, ⚫ than in any thing elfe; and haveing his ftrength for nought, and ⚫ more pleasure in attending one young people trifling and playing ⚫ religious meeting, than I ever in the houfe of God, gave me very ⚫ took in all the balls I ever attend-difagreeable feelings; and if my ⚫ed. And altho' I have read the bible through feveral times, 'never open it now, but I find fomething new in it, fomething • I never faw before." To another it was faid, "Do ⚫ you find by experience that Chrift's yoke is eafy, and his burden light; his ways pleafant, and his paths • peace?" Answer, "Yes, and I heart does not deceive me, I wish all may be faved.” Another faid, "In early life L was thoughtful about religion, and 'for many years past, had a great defire to profefs Chrift, and commune at his table. But doubts and fears, refpecting my preparednefs for tranfactions fo folema and important, always kept me ' now believe there is no real happi-back, until of late, when my nefs in any other way, than in 'walking with God, and keeping ⚫his commandments. I have lived • a number of years in the world, 'mind hath been foftrongly impref'fed with a fenfe of its being my duty, I could refrain no longer. I therefore publicly gave up my. • without God, and without attend-felf to God, and the fame day 'ing to the duties of religion, or ⚫ practifing godliness, and then tho't nryfelf happy; but I never knew 'communed at the Lord's table; but not without fear and trembling, left I fhould eat and drink unwor ⚫ what happiness was, until of late;thily. The night following, as I meant; I never loved and enjoy-refreshing as I never had before.. ⚫ed my friends and acquaintance, as I now do. I with to do them all the good I can, and want they fhould experience the power of 'godliness, and talte and fee how good the Lord is. I lately attended public worship upon the fabbath, in a neighboring town; the minifter preached a very feri It feemed as if I beheld heaven opened, and Chrift ftanding on the right hand of God. Not that I faw any thing with my bodily eyes, the whole was mental. God appeared glorious in holiness, and 'asanabfolute fovereign, and Christ anable and willing Saviour. My 'heart appeared at once reconcilef I compared with fuch a finful wretch as I am. They never difhonored the God that made them, as I. have done. They never flighted the Saviour, nor grieved the Holy Spirit of God, as I have done. They never committed the fins I have. O! how mean and vile I am! I am meaner and viler, 'than the meaneft and moft contemptible worm. How wonderful and aftonishing that God fhould fuffer fuch an unworthy, ill-deferving creature as I am to live in his world, to tread upon 'his earth, or breathe his air. I 'deferved to have been shut up in hell long ago, and yet I am ftill a prifoner of hope: Oh! the goodnefs and long-fuffering of God, and the ingratitude and wickednels of hardened finners!" ་ to God, and I feemed to have no ་ Another faid, "As I was walking to the houfe of God upon the fabbath, I faw a number of little worms, fwimming about in afmall • brook ; I ftopped and viewed them, and faid to myfelf, how in I fhall now fubjoin a few extracts from fome letters, fent to particular friends. They were not written with a view of being feen by any but the perfons to whom they were addreffed. One writes thus, "Dear Friend, Do let me know how you do, and what you are doing, I am more con'cerned for my friends now than ever; am more fond of their company and converfation; and yet at times, love retirement, and enjoy myfelf very well alone. How thankful fhould we be, that we are made rational creatures, capable of enjoying fecial happiness? Do we confidcr from whom we receive our bleffings, and the obligations we ' are under to live devoted to the giver? When we give to God the dew of our youth, he will be pleafed with the offering. A flower offered in the bud is an acceptable facrifice." Again, the fame writes, "Dear Friend, The fpring is now open nocent and happy are thefe wormsing, the fnow diffolving, the alas, there is no caufe of com- Atreams murmuring over the peb-fhips, I often fay in my heart, bles, the lambs skipping in the 'meadows, and the birds on the branches ftraining their little throats in melodious fongs; all fpeak, in different ways, their 'maker's praife. Should not we, 'who are endowed with reafon, 'join in praising the creator; even the mute crcation would find a ' voice, and upbraid our filence. Let us in our youth attend to "the one thing needful. Now is the best time to lay in ftore a good ⚫ foundation against the time to ⚫ come. It is written, remember • now thy creator in the days of thy youth. And now is the accepted time. If you afk, what this world is, and what the pleaf Until you fee me, do think of me or think of fomething better., 'Adieu." 6 Another writes thus. "Dear, friend, I now fit down to tell you what hath taken place with me 'this prefent week. On Wednefday evening, I was thoughtful ' and very serious, and after attentively liftening to some religious converfation between two friends, Iretired to reft, with my mind deep ures of it are? I anfwer, vani-ly impreffed, and lay fometime ty of vanities, all is vanity. There is no real and fubftantial happiness in the enjoyment of 'any thing this world affords. If ⚫ your ideas of this world are the ⚫ fame with mine, then "Whilft the busy croud, " Nor join the giddy dance.”” What The fame writes again, "I retire from company, to converfe alone with one I love; for fo I call writing to a friend. What 'privileges have we which thoufands are denied? We have kind 'parents to inftruct us, are taught to write, and thus to converfe with abfent friends. Let us im in bed, wetting my pillow with 'tears. This was not the first time, my mind hath been fix'ed on, and my thoughts fwallow'ed up with things of another 'world; and I have fometimes 'entertained a hope, I experienchildhood. But now on a fudced the power of godliness in my 'den, my fins were fet in order ⚫ before me and feemed to ftare me ' in the face; and my heart was fo pricked I could not lie ftill. I used to think, I had a defire to embrace Chrift, and partake of gofpel bleffings. But I now experienced views and feelings, 'fuch as I never did before; and was afraid to close my eyes in fleep; for I thought nothing kept me from the pit of endless perdition, but the lender and 'prove our advantages and culti-brittle thread of life. What fhall vate our minds in early life. Do ing this will render us dutiful ⚫ children and faithful friends; render the path through life pleafing, and a death-bed eafy. When I hear people complaining of their misfortunes and hardVOL. II. No. z. I do? was now the language of my heart. If the righteous are fcarcely faved, where thall the ungodly and the finner appear! If I attempted to pray, thefe words were in my mind, the prayer of the wicked is abomina |